Facing for golf-clubs.



No. 700,946. Patented May 27, I902.

E. KEMPSHALL.

FACING FOR GOLF CLUBS.

(Application flied Apr. 21, 1902.

(No Model.)

UNiTnn STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSIIALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMPSHALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FACING FOR GOLF-CLUBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 4 dated y 27, 1902- Applioation filed April 21,1902. Serial No. 103.937. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Facings for Golf- Clubs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to afacing for clubs such as used in golf and other games.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing myimproved facing applied to a golf-club. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the facing. Fig. 3 illustrates a process of molding the facings.

In the views similar parts are designated by similar characters of reference.

The club A has the usual head B, upon which I apply a facing made of celluloid and fabric, as at D, which I secure to the head of the club, preferably by means of pegs F. This facing is preferably made up of outer and inner layers of celluloid f and g, with intervening layers of fabric H, separated by a third celluloid layer J, although other relative arrangements of fabric and celluloid may be used.

In forming the facings I preferably unite celluloid and fabric under heat and pressure between dies 1 and 2, so that the celluloid permeates the meshes of the fabric, thereby making a very firm and springy facing which possesses great durability and efficiency and is not easily cracked or chipped. The presence of the fabric conduces to the springiness of the material, since it tends to prevent the latter from being indented sharply at any point, so that when the club strikes the ball not only the point of contact, but also the portion of the impact-surface surrounding said point is flexed, thereby affecting a large area of resisting springy surface.

The plates of celluloid and fabric are placed in the dies, as indicated in dotted lines at 3, Fig. 3. The heat softens the celluloid, and the pressure causes the mass to conform to the shape of the dies, the celluloid forming a surface upon the edges of the facing, as at 4. I preferably then provide the facing with either one or a set of peg-holes 5, one in each corner of the facing, and, if desired, a perforation may be added at 6 midway of the top edge of the facing.

It is not essential in all cases that three layers of celluloid or two of fabric be employed.

By providing the facing with bevel side edges it maybe more securely attached to the club, which is provided with a corresponding undercut groove. By giving the facing a dovetail form, as illustrated, and also beve1- ing its edges it may be still more securely attached to the club. If desired, the facing may be attached directly upon the club without first cutting away the latter.

The celluloid being very hard is not pitted or injured by the impact with a ball, and being very elastic and backed by the heavy wooded head vastly improves the driving qualities of the club. I apprehend that the celluloid yields at the impact with the ball and recovers itself before the ball leaves the club, so that the speed of the ball is much greater than that. of the club, or, in other words, the celluloid facing enables more energy to be delivered from the club to the ball. Owing to this yielding character, moreover, the danger of the weak handle or neck of the club being split or fractured is minimized. By combining with or embedding in the cel- 8o luloid one or more plies of fabric the celluloid is toughened to a phenomenal degree, so that the roughest usage in the field does not produce a crack in the celluloid, as might be expected from the rather brittle nature of the material, and even if a crack should appear still the fabric holds the facing permanently together, and hence a crack in the facing cannot render the club useless. When desired, the facing may be scored or otherwise rough- 9o ened to avoid slip between the same and the ball. It is further noted that a club provided with my facing does not subject the ball to. such harsh treatment as doesa solid Wooden or uncushioned head. By the term celluloid I mean to include material of the pyroxylin class. Some other springy plastic material may be combined with fabric, said facing having the form of a' tablet of suitable size-to apply directly to the head of a club.

3. A dovetail facing for a club consisting of plies of celluloid incorporated with plies of fabric, the celluloid forming a surface over the'edges of the facing, said facing having the form of atablet of suitable size to apply directly to the head of a club.

I 4. A bevel-edge dovetail facing for a club consisting of plies of celluloid incorporated with plies of fabric, the celluloid forming a surface over the edges of the facing, said facing having the form of a tablet of suitable size to apply directly to the head of a club.

5. A facing for a club consisting of three plies of celluloid incorporated with two alternating plies of open-mesh fabric, said facing having the form of a tablet of suitable size to apply directly to the head of a club.

6. A facing for a golf-club consisting of layers of celluloid and fabric in alternation, said layers being incorporated together, and said facing being provided with one or more peg-holes, and having substantially the same area as the face of the club.

7. A facing for a club having three layers of celluloid and two layers of fabric incorporated therewith, the outer and inner layers consisting of celluloid, and said facing being provided with peg-holes, and having substantially the same area as the face of the club.

8. A dovetail facing for a golf-club consisting of a plurality of plies of celluloid and a plurality of alternating plies of fabric incorporated therewith, said facing being provided with peg-holes, and having substantially the same area as the face of the club.

9. A facing for a golf-club, consisting of a plurality of layers of celluloid, and at least one layer of fabric intervening between said celluloid layers, said facing being provided with peg-holes, and having substantial-1y the same area as the face of the club.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL.

I Witnesses:

B. C. STICKNEY, J OHN O. SEIFERT. 

